May Added To Rotary Lombardi Award Watch List
Chris May, 6’5″ 290-pound offensive lineman from Tuscumbia, AL., joins Joseph Scelfo on the 2015 Rotary Lombardi Award Watch List that will be awarded on December 9, 2015. | Photo credit: John Adams usajaguars.com
Earlier this week it was announced that senior offensive lineman Chris May was named to the 2015 Rotary Lombardi Award Watch List.
May, a 6’5″ 290-pound native of Tuscumbia, AL. joins center Joseph Scelfo on the watch list which now has a total of 176 student-athletes in consideration for the award. Scelfo was one of the original 34 student-athletes announced.
May, like Scelfo, was voted preseason first-team All-Sun Belt Conference last month by the league’s head coaches and select members of the media. As he heads into his final season with the Jaguars he also has preseason All-Conference selections from both Athlon Sports (first-team) and Phil Steele Publications (second-team).
During his career May has received league recognition in each of his three seasons as a Jaguar. He was named by Sun Belt beat writers to the All-Freshman team in 2012, he was a first-team All-SBC selection in 2013 then received an honorable mention last fall. He enters his senior year with 32 consecutive starts dating aback to the middle of his freshman year, which is the longest active streak on the team.
Last season May recorded 33 knockdown blocks and graded out 80% or better on six occasions. Against Texas State in November May recorded 11 pancakes, more than half of the team’s total of 18, in their win over the Bobcats which made the Jags bowl-eligible and eventually helping them to earn a bowl invitation for the first time in program history. In May’s sophomore season he led the team with 65 pancake blocks and his overall grade of 87% was second-highest on the team; which included earning a mark of 90% or better four times. He has also earned the coaches’ offensive line award in a game on eight occasions during his three seasons as a Jag.
The Rotary Lombardi Award is limted to down linemen – end-to-end on either offense or defense – who set up no farther than 10 yards to the left or right of the ball or linebackers who set up no farther than five yards deep from the line of scrimmage. On November 5, the field will be narrowed down to 12 semifinalists and the winner the 46th annual Rotary Lombardi Award will be announced at the Bayou Music Center in Houston on December 9.